Faults and Cracks
by The Lawrence Tree
Summary: Yamato and Taichi are working on their faults and cracks. For Taiyama week 2018. Each chapter will be one prompt (not sure if I'll get to all 14) but will make up a continuous story. Takes place after Tri.
1. Soccer Game

Chapter One: Soccer Game

A/N: for Taiyama week 2018. Each chapter of this fic will be one of the prompts (not sure if I'll get to all 14). This chapter's prompt: invitation. Takes place immediately after Tri.

* * *

 _"I'm working on my faults and cracks  
Filling in the blanks and gaps  
When I write them out they don't make sense  
I need you to pencil in the rest."  
-Frightened Rabbit_

* * *

Yamato didn't know what to do about Taichi's invitation.

It's just a soccer game, he told himself. It's fine. It's not a big deal.

The thing was, Yamato had _been_ to these soccer games. He knew what he was in for. It would be hours of sitting high up in the bleachers with the other Chosen Children, hours of cheering from afar. Hours of helpless spectatorship.

Yamato didn't know if he could handle the anxiety.

Soccer had too much capacity for violence. People pulled muscles, broke limbs, got concussions.

What if something happened to Taichi?

Yamato's stomach swam as the memory rose again, unbidden. The earth heaving mightily, the bone-rattling crack as it split apart under his feet. The sickening realization that Taichi was on the other side of the split. Stranded, alone. Apart.

He couldn't bear to feel that kind of helplessness again.

What Yamato really wanted to do was just _look_ at Taichi. Up close and personal, with nothing there to present a danger or to suddenly break them apart. Maybe even for a whole day. He wanted to just stare at his evolution partner and make sure Taichi was okay. Make sure Taichi wasn't going anywhere.

Instead he got this. An invitation for several long hours of watching Taichi in possible danger.

But how could he turn Taichi down? The Chosen Children were a team, needed to _be_ a team. All of them, even the younger generation. If nothing else, their last adventure had taught them that.

Daisuke, Miyako, Iori and Ken's disappearances should have been noticed. Even with Nishijima-sensei and the others covering the disappearances up, _they_ _should have noticed._

Unacceptable.

They would all have to stick together more.

Of course Taichi knew that, too. And he was already taking responsibility, trying to fix the problem. Yamato knew Taichi's invitation was part of that effort.

"Ishida! Are you listening?"

Yamato snapped back to himself. "Sorry, Shioya-sensei," he mumbled.

His teacher sniffed and pushed her wire-rim glasses back up her nose. " _As_ I was saying. If you are to have any hope of being accepted into the astrophysics program at Tokyo University, _you cannot get anything less than a perfect score on next week's exam._ Am I clear?"

Yamato nodded and smiled, his mood suddenly buoyed by a brilliant idea. "Perfectly."

* * *

Yamato and the other Chosen Children surged to their feet, cheering. Taichi had the ball and was streaking down the field like a shot. He moved so gracefully compared to the other players that Yamato almost thought they would catch up to him. He looked like a gazelle soaring peacefully down the field, his opponents like lions stalking their furious way toward him. But Taichi had speed as well as grace. He was miles ahead.

At the last moment he stopped and passed the ball to a teammate, who kicked it past the goalie effortlessly. The audience roared in appreciation.

Yamato cheered with the rest, but sat down and opened his textbook as soon as Taichi's team pressed in around him in celebration. He couldn't bear to see Taichi buried beneath that many people.

"Yamato?" Takeru's worried voice said from somewhere above him.

"Gotta study," Yamato said, trying to sound breezy and unconcerned. "Exam next week."

"When did you turn into Jyou?" Mimi's voice teased.

"Yeah, come on, Yamato!" That was Jyou. "It's game time! Ease up for once."

Yamato frowned and kept staring at his book.

Sora sat back down next to him. "Aww, come on, guys. You know Yamato wouldn't be studying right now if he didn't really need to."

The others gave up and sat back down, too. Yamato turned to Sora and gave her a small, appreciative smile.

She winked back at him.

It was just like Sora to see right through him. Ah, well. At least she had his back.

Yamato risked a glance up from his book. On the field, Taichi had finally emerged from the mass of his teammates. He was looking up into the bleachers, searching through the faces as if looking for someone. His eyes stopped when they met Yamato's.

Taichi smiled up at him. It was the same look he'd given Yamato before the final battle with Ordinemon, that same determined look. That smile meant they were in this together. That smile meant there was work to be done.

That smile meant they wouldn't stop. Not until the battle was over.

Yamato smiled back.


	2. The Ticket Line

For phase two of Operation Reunite the Chosen Children, Taichi had enlisted Mimi's help.

It was a brilliant plan and it was going to work perfectly. Also, Taichi kind of regretted everything.

"Dis-ney-land! Dis-ney-land!" Mimi chanted.

They were still standing in the entrance line to get into the park. It was ten in the morning, and the day was already hot and muggy.

"Dis-ney-land! Dis-ney-land!" the Digimon chorused back. In costume and holding tight to their partners' hands, they bore perfect resemblance to a group of small kids on their first trip to the amusement park.

Well, near-perfect resemblance. Gabumon was for some reason wearing a trench coat over his fur coat. Veemon looked like a very short skater in his grey hooded sweatshirt and aviator sunglasses. Worst of all, Palmon had on some kind of high-fashion disco outfit, complete with a snow-white afro wig, hoop earrings, and a neon tube-gown.

Taichi glanced around surreptitiously. Most of the families in line weren't paying attention to them, instead busy fussing over dropped toys or wiping off messy mouths. But some of the parents had noticed, and some of them were glaring their way. One mom, standing a bit ahead of them in line, looked like she was about to pop off. Her face was turning red and Taichi swore he could almost see the veins in her neck.

He wondered if they should just call off the whole day now. It had been such a short time since the distortions and rampaging Digimon had finally halted. The whole world was still on edge. It was far too soon for the Digimon to be out in public, even in their rookie forms and ridiculous get-ups.

He shouldn't have let Mimi talk him into bringing them here.

The angry mother's eyes swept across the group of Digimon and then up. She caught Taichi looking at her. Taichi's heart began to race but he didn't look away. They held eye contact for several long moments. She broke away first, scowling, when her group reached the front of the line. She started fuming at the gate attendant, gesturing at Taichi and the Digimon all the while.

Taichi's stomach sank.

"She's an idiot." Yamato was suddenly by his side, hands in his jean pockets, eyes on the ground. He nodded his chin to indicate the gesticulating woman. "Don't pay attention to her. She's not worth your time."

Taichi glanced back at the woman. One hand was still waving wildly but the other was settled around her young son's shoulders like a shield. The gate attendant was nodding along, her expression remained stoic and unreadable.

"She's not an idiot. She's just doing her best to protect her children," Taichi countered, but softly, so no one but Yamato could hear. "Any mother would do the same."

Yamato's eyes snapped up to meet Taichi's. For a moment his gaze was combative, razor-sharp. But then his face twisted and he nodded, once. "Yeah, okay. You're right. So what do we do?"

Taichi didn't have a good answer to that. Not yet. "For now? I guess we wait and see what happens."

The gate attendant was doing the talking now. Whatever she said seemed to appease the woman. At the very least the attendant managed to shake her off. Before long the mother and her family were through the park gates and out of sight.

Taichi had no clue what to expect once they reached the front of the line. Probably they would get unceremoniously booted from the park before they even got in. He approached the attendant warily, ticket money held out in front of him as if in conciliation.

To his surprise, the attendant smiled broadly up at him as she began printing out wristbands.

"You're the ones, aren't you?" she said conversationally, handing him the first batch of bands. "You and that blond guy?"

"What?" Taichi said blankly.

In the periphery of his vision, Taichi saw Yamato's head swivel at the word _blond_. He came to stand once again by Taichi's side.

"You saved the world," she said. "I saw you."

Taichi just stared at her. His mind was racing. What was she talking about? Ordinemon? As far as he knew the news media was still reporting that fight as a massive success by the Japanese military. And the area had been evacuated. There hadn't been witnesses. Had there?

"I couldn't look away from my computer screen," she continued. "You were both so _brave_. I even sent you an email. I'm sure you didn't read it, but …."

"Oh," said Taichi, suddenly warmed _That_ fight.

She turned from the printer and looked Taichi straight in the eyes, face solemn. "I haven't forgotten that day. I won't forget. None of us will."

Taichi looked to Yamato. Yamato's eyes met his; his lips curved up in a quiet smile. Taichi couldn't help the grin that spread across his face in return.

The girl wasn't done. "Look, I know the Digimon have been getting a bad rap lately, especially among the older generations." She pointed a thumb past the park gates and frowned exaggeratedly, as if in reference to the angry mother.

She grabbed the last of the wristbands off the printer and handed them to Taichi. "It'll pass. Our generation's time will come. And we know the truth about the Digimon."

"Hey, thanks," Taichi said, still grinning as he slid his wad of yen across the counter to her.

But she shook her head and pushed it back. "My treat," she said firmly. "It's the least I can do."

Taichi hesitated. He held out the money again. "Thanks, but that's okay. We're happy to pay."

The gate attendant just smiled and waved him away. "Next!"

Taichi looked down at the passes in consternation. He couldn't accept these. He couldn't. He wasn't some kind of hero, whatever the nice attendant girl thought. Heroes don't destroy whole city blocks. Heroes don't let their teachers die for them.

Heroes don't decide to murder their friend's Digimon partners.

Then Yamato's cool, pale hand was on top of his own. Yamato took three ticket bands from the top of the stack, his fingers lingering maybe a second too long against Taichi's skin. Taichi thought the touch was meant as a reassurance. If so, Taichi took it gladly. The light brush of Yamato's fingers made him feel instantly grounded. Like everything might be okay after all.

"Here." Yamato's deep voice was pitched low so only Taichi could hear. "Let me."

Taichi stood frozen as Yamato bent over his wrist, fussing with the sticky end of the ticket band. Thoughts moved through his head slow as molasses, thoughts like _what is he doing_ and _hey, I can do that myself_.

Before he could sort it all out, Yamato finished and straightened up. Without a word he began attaching his own wrist band and then moved over to help Gabumon with his. Taichi thought he could see a hint of a blush dusting Yamato's cheeks.

Still a bit flabbergasted, Taichi turned back to the group. He held out the remaining tickets and the others crowded round. In a matter of moments they were all through the wrought-iron gates and standing in the crowded entrance square of the World Bazaar.

Mimi took up her Disneyland chant again. This time Daisuke and Miyako joined in.

"What should we do first?" Takeru asked. Something about the park peeled away the years of maturity in his voice. For a second Taichi would've sworn that if he turned around he'd see a tiny blond kid in an overlarge green helmet standing in Takeru's place.

"How about Space Mountain?" Hikari suggested.

"No, Splash Mountain!" said Gomamon.

"No, Pirates!" shouted Hawkmon.

"I wanna see Toontown!" Patamon chimed in.

"Should we split up?" Ken wondered, looking back and forth between the arguing Digimon. "So everyone can go on different rides?"

"No!" Yamato exclaimed. The whole group turned his way, as if surprised at the vehemence of his outburst.

"We go as a group," Taichi confirmed. "It'll be more fun that way."

Before the arguing could recommence, Agumon made the decision for them. He raced forward, then veered left as if he knew exactly where he was going. "Don't you guys smell that?" he shouted over his shoulder. "There's _popcorn!_ "

The other Digimon oohed in excitement and surged after him. The Chosen Children looked at each other and giggled.

Taichi couldn't help another grin.

Maybe this day wouldn't be so bad.


	3. Haunted

**A/N:** Today's prompt was _trapped_ , and omg squee! I love this prompt. Consider this a mini tribute of sorts to one of my favorite forms of fiction: the gothic novel, a form all about being trapped in all kinds of interesting ways – psychologically, physically, socially. You name it.

I'll be skipping tomorrow's prompt, _Onsen_. Can't figure out a good way to fit that in with this storyline. Be back Friday for _Confrontation._

* * *

"Well, that was fun." Jyou's voice wavered nauseously. "Let's never, ever do that again."

Yamato could get behind that. The chipper music and widely-smiling animatronics on that last ride had been a bit hard to handle.

"Oh, come on," Gomamon teased. "Are you sure you don't want to go one more time?"

Mimi jumped in, eager to get in on the fun. "Good thing your girlfriend's not here, Jyou. What would she say if she knew you were afraid of a little log ride?"

" _Jyou has a girlfriend_? _"_ Daisuke, Miyako and Iori shrieked in unison.

"Since when?" Hawkmon added.

Yamato couldn't help it. He laughed along with the rest.

"Ooh, pictures!" Hikari ran to the photo booth and searched through the electronic display. "Look, there we are! Let's buy them, everyone!"

There were three photos total, one of each log, taken right at the top of the ride's longest drop. Yamato searched out Taichi's face first. He was grinning almost languidly, his mop of brown hair pushed back from his face by the wind. Compared to Agumon in the seat next to him, who had both claws high in the air and a scream of joy on his face, Taichi looked kind of … bored.

Yamato looked for his own picture next, just to make sure he hadn't made a total fool of himself somehow. Ah, there he was. Two rows behind Taichi, one row behind Koushiro and Tentomon. He was leaning forward, his eyes intent on ….

Oh.

His eyes were on Taichi.

Well, _that_ was embarrassing.

Yamato looked around, but he didn't think anyone had noticed.

 _Phew._

Hikari bought enough copies of all three photos for all of them. "Where next?" she asked, carefully placing the photographs inside her pink and yellow satchel.

Yamato felt rather than saw Takeru's eyes on him. He turned and met his little brother's gaze.

 _Ohhhh no_.

Takeru had that mischievous little glint in his eye again.

"Well," he said, with an almost feral smile, "we _are_ close to the Haunted Mansion."

* * *

"You _sure_ you don't want to sit this one out, big brother?" Takeru asked for the millionth time.

"I'm fine!" Yamato said. It came out as a yelp.

The others tittered.

They were nearly at the head of the long line that wrapped like a snake around the gardens of the gothic castle looming overhead. There was only one group ahead of them, a family with three young kids chattering excitedly about the thrills in the ride to come.

Yamato was not afraid of a stupid ride for kids. He was _not_.

Gabumon grabbed his hand. His reptilian claw was cool against Yamato's fingers. "Don't worry, Yamato. I'll protect you."

Yamato smiled softly down at him. "Thanks, Gabumon."

Then they were inside.

 _I'm not afraid_ , he told himself. _I'm just not enjoying this_. _That's all._

He did notenjoy the deep, leering voice of the ghost host. He did notenjoy the snap of the door closing behind them, trapping them in the octagonal room with the four old-fashioned portraits and the eight sneering gargoyles. He especially did not appreciate the way the stretching walls made him feel, like the universe followed no particular laws of order. Like everything normal and predictable could be stripped away in a moment, leaving nothing but chaos behind.

He turned, hoping to find something to look at that wasn't deeply upsetting.

His eyes met Taichi's.

Taichi was looking at him with a sober expression. Yamato searched, but he found no hint of teasing in Taichi's face.

He held Taichi's gaze. The longer he looked, the more grounded he felt.

 _It's okay_. That's what Taichi's look was saying. _It's okay to be scared._

 _You're okay_.

Yamato took a deep breath.

Then the lights went out, the ceiling disappeared, and a floating corpse was illuminated in a great flash of lightning.

Yamato may have screamed.

* * *

He regained his composure in the portrait gallery.

The portrait gallery was all right. The eyes following them from the statues lining the hall were unsettling, but Yamato could deal with that.

They loaded into the ride's black carriages two-by-two. Yamato and Gabumon stood at the back of the group. Yamato wanted to put off the inevitable for as long as he could. Taichi and Agumon stood just ahead of them.

But when Taichi and Agumon reached the front of the line, Gabumon raced away from Yamato's side and jumped into the seat next to Agumon.

"What?" said Yamato stupidly.

"Have fun!" Gabumon and Agumon chorused in reply, pushing down the safety bar. The carriage car started rolling down the track.

"I thought you were going to protect me!" Yamato called.

"I am!" Gabumon's voice was muffled by the rounded back of the carriage.

Yamato sighed and looked over at Taichi, resigned.

But Taichi was laughing.

"I guess this is just going to be a regular occurrence now," he said. His smile was just the slightest bit lopsided. Yamato had noticed that before. It was cute.

The expressionless teen working the ride turned a yellowed page in his paperback novel. "You guys gonna get on or what?"

Oh. Right.

They clambered into the next empty carriage. The ride attendant pushed down the safety bar without looking up from his book.

As the carriage pitched into motion, Taichi said, too-casual, "Maybe it's good they pulled that little stunt. We haven't really talked since … well, since."

Yamato almost groaned.

For Angemon's sake. Taichi wanted to talk _now_?

It was true, though. They hadn't really talked. Well, Yamato _had_ stopped by the Yagami place last week. He and Taichi had gone down to the river, watched the sunset from Taichi's favorite spot.

But they hadn't spoken.

Taichi was right. They should talk. Yamato gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the lit candelabra floating eerily toward them.

"Yeah?" he said, hoping he sounded carefree. He put his right hand by his side, out of Taichi's line of sight, and began practicing his air finger picking to distract himself.

"Look, Yamato, I never …" Taichi ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I still haven't given you an answer."

Yamato's hand stilled. He'd kind of hoped Taichi had forgotten about that day, that confrontation in the hall.

"It's okay," he said quickly. "Really. You don't have to give me an answer. I was wrong to ask. It's fine."

" _Let me oouuuuuuut,"_ a thin voice wailed. Yamato shivered but very deliberately did not turn to look for its source. " _Letttt me ouuuuuuuuuuuuut."_

Taichi didn't seem to notice. "I always meant to answer you, Yamato. You're my best friend. We're partners. You deserve honesty from me. I just … couldn't. Not then."

" _You_ deserve understanding from _me_ ," Yamato argued back. "And trust. I was asking too much of you."

Taichi gave him an odd look at that. "There's nothing you could ask of me that would be too much. You know that, right?"

The carriage careened around a corner into a hall of doors. Yamato breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing frightening here. Good. He could finally focus on their conversation.

The door nearest them began to shake. Someone was pounding furiously on the other side.

"Oh god," Yamato moaned.

It didn't stop there. There was something behind the other doors, too.

Doorknobs began to rattle. Someone shrieked. Someone else screamed for help.

A high-pitched, echoing laugh bounced around the narrow corridor.

"What?" Taichi said blankly. "Did I say something?"

One of the doors began to breathe.

Yamato whimpered. He pushed himself further back in his seat.

Taichi actually turned to look at him then. "Oh. _Oh_."

Yamato scrunched his eyes shut. This was not happening. _This was not happening_.

None of this was real.

"Hey." Taichi's voice had gone all gentle. "Hey. Yamato. It's okay."

Then Taichi's hand was on top of Yamato's. He carefully unfurled Yamato's clenched fingers and intertwining them with Taichi's own. His palm was warm.

Yamato knew he should be freaking out even more now. _Taichi was holding his hand_. That wasn't supposed to happen. Not in real life, not even in his wildest fantasies.

This should have been the scariest thing of all.

But somehow, perversely, he felt instantly calmer.

He opened his eyes to look at his best friend.

Taichi shot him a knowing little smirk. "Hold on tight," he said, "so I don't run away."

Yamato smiled back. He recognized the words.

How could he be so scared of this when he'd once been shot through the heart by an angel's arrow?

There was some kind of talking head droning at them now. Yamato didn't care. He was floating on air. Nothing could scare him. Not now.

Maybe Taichi's handhold was magic. Maybe it could ward away all fears.

Taichi frowned and looked down. His fingers danced lightly over Yamato's palm. Yamato found himself shivering again. It was a different kind of shiver this time.

"I'm sorry," Taichi said after a moment. "We can talk about this later. Let's just get through this."

"Yeah," Yamato said. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

They sat in silence as the ride crawled forward. Yamato kept his eyes trained on Taichi's face. He would get through this. He just had to stay focused on the one thing that kept him calm.

Taichi looked good in profile, Yamato reflected. But then, he always looked good to Yamato.

Then Taichi leaned forward in his seat, his face suddenly drained of color. "Umm. Yamato. You might want to look at this."

Yamato didn't look. "Yagami," he said, lowering his voice, "if you're pulling a Takeru on me, I swear I – "

"I'm not," Taichi said, and his tone was so grave and tense that Yamato instantly stopped. "Look."

Yamato looked.

The carriage was perched on a balcony. In the great hall below, a host of ghosts waltzed dreamily. More ghosts flew in and out of the wide windows opposite. A ghost in a top hat hammered away at the pipe organ.

The scene was chaos. Yamato searched frantically, not sure what he was supposed to be looking for.

Wait.

Wait, was that?

No. No, it couldn't be.

But it was.

A Bakemon was wandering through the waltzing couples. It looked into the faces of each ghost, confused and lost. Before Taichi or Yamato could do anything it wandered back out the hall door past the steady stream of ghosts arriving for the party.


	4. Cave

**A/N:** Muahahaha! Did you think the gothic part of the story was over? Or that Yamato would be the only one to suffer?

(I have not typed _muahahah_ in the notes of a fanfic since, like, 2002. Lol)

 **Prompt:** Confrontation. I may have taken this prompt a bit … metaphorically.

* * *

Taichi knew the second Yamato caught sight of the stray Bakemon, because he cursed vividly and tried to stand up.

The security bar was still down. Taichi and Yamato strained against it, pushing with their combined strengths. It didn't move.

There was only one other option.

" _Agumon!"_ Taichi yelled. "Agumon! I need you!"

Yamato caught on instantly. "Gabumon! Over here! _"_

The carriage ahead of them was enveloped in a blast of orange, then blue. Then Agumon and Gabumon were racing toward them along the ride's track.

"Taichi! What's wrong?" Agumon cried.

"Yamato! Are you all right?"

"We're fine," Taichi said, "really. But we need to get out of this damned contraption. _Now_."

The Digimon nodded. With a quick one-two succession of Pepper Breath and Blue Blaster, the bar heated and cooled so rapidly that it snapped cleanly in half.

Taichi dropped Yamato's hand and stood up. "Okay. After that Bakemon!"

Yamato signaled to Gabumon, and within seconds Garurumon stood before them. He was nearly too big to fit between the stair banister and the wall. Yamato climbed up on his back and then reached his hand down to Taichi. "Come on."

Taichi didn't hesitate. He grabbed Yamato's hand and swung up behind him. Then he reached back down to help Agumon up. Once they were all in place Taichi caught his balance by digging one hand in Garurumon's soft fur and wrapping the other round Yamato's thin torso. Then Garurumon soared over the rail, dodged an enormous piece of glass hanging right below the balcony, and dropped gently down to the level below.

At this angle the ride's ghost illusions were ruined. Instead of flickering phantoms Taichi just saw light beams emanating from carefully-placed projectors, unrealistic animatronics in elaborate costumes moving robotically along prelaid tracks.

The door that the Bakemon had gone through was an actual door, though. Taichi squinted but he couldn't see anything beyond, just darkness.

"Through there," Yamato urged Garurumon. The fear had gone from his voice. Instead he was confident, strong, determined.

Taichi smiled into Yamato's hair. He was glad Yamato was feeling better.

He knew what it was to be afraid. He knew the relentless irrationality of it, the paralysis it induced. He also knew what it took to push that fear away in a time of crisis. He'd done it before himself, a million times.

It wasn't easy. But you did what you had to do.

And Taichi could always count on Yamato to do what had to be done.

What Taichi had to do right now was get hold of Koushiro. He let go of Garurumon's fur and dug in his pocket with one hand.

"Taichi?" Koushiro picked up right away. His voice was tinny through the cell phone. "What's going on? Aren't you still on the ride?"

"We've got a problem, Koushiro," he replied. "Can you check on your laptop for anything strange happening nearby?"

Taichi had no doubt Koushiro'd managed to sneak his laptop on the ride. And he was right. Within seconds he heard furious typing coming through the line.

Garurumon ducked through the hole in the enormous door. On the other side was a narrow corridor, cheap-looking black walls lit by fluorescent bulbs. They were backstage.

"Hey!" A man in a teal _Imagineer_ shirt shouted after them. "You can't be back here!"

At the other end of the hall the white of the Bakemon's robe rounded the corner and disappeared. Garurumon bounded after it, ignoring the imagineer.

"I've got something," Koushiro's voice said in his ear. "A distortion."

"You've gotta be kidding," Taichi groaned. "I thought the distortions all stopped, after."

After what he still couldn't bring himself to say. Taichi didn't know if he'd ever fully reconcile himself with the decisions he'd had to make lately. He knew Hikari wouldn't. She'd told him as much. And she'd barely spoken a word to him since.

Yamato's body tensed at the word _distortion._ In response Taichi tightened his grip on Yamato's side. He wasn't sure why. He no longer needed to hold on to Yamato for balance, and his friend's fear had long dissipated. He was probably just using the physical contact as a comfort, a soporific. A shield against this new Bakemon-filled reality.

He was definitely going to have to stop.

"It's not Meicoomon," Koushiro was saying. "This distortion is different. It's something else."

"That's reassuring," Taichi said dryly. "Can you tell what?"

Garurumon reached the end of the hall. It terminated in another enormous doorway, this one ornately decorated despite being hidden somewhere no guests could see.

The Bakemon was nowhere in sight.

"Umm," said Koushiro.

Taichi had known Koushiro a long time. Never before had he heard his friend start or end a sentence with _umm_.

Garurumon swiped one enormous paw at the brass door pulls. The pulls, carved with twin screaming faces, bent downwards with a creak. The great door swung open.

"Come on, Koushiro." Taichi didn't have time to waste on Koushiro's waffling. "Spit it out, whatever it is."

Koushiro's words came in a rush. "Umm, well. The thing is. Well. It looks like it might be my code."

"It _might_ be your code?" Taichi raised an eyebrow. It was unlike Koushiro to be so unsure of something this serious.

Garurumon pushed past the enormous door into the space beyond. It was darker inside, so dark that Taichi had to blink away the blackness, let his eyes adjust.

"Well, okay. It is my code. I know it is. I mean, I wrote it. It's the code I wrote so the Digimon could come visit us. Only … only there's something wrong with it."

Koushiro's voice was growing distant. As if the cell phone signal was fading.

"What's wrong with it, Koushiro?" Taichi looked around, trying to get his bearings, but the darkness was still spread thick around him. He couldn't make out a thing.

"I'm … not sure. Have to … more calculations." Koushiro's voice wavered in and out, and then was gone.

Taichi looked down at his phone.

Koushiro had hung up on him.

How odd.

"Taichi." Yamato was in front of him. He stood staring straight ahead, strangely dead-eyed. "I'm going to leave now."

Taichi blinked. "What? Where are you going?"

Yamato didn't respond. He just turned and trudged away. His gait was slow and steady.

He didn't look back.

Taichi felt like he was missing something.

When had Yamato gotten down from Garurumon's back?

Where _was_ Garurumon?

Where was Agumon, for that matter?

His eyes were finally beginning to adjust.

Why in the world was there a cave in the middle of a haunted house?

That seemed like an important question. He should probably try to figure that out.

"Taichi?"

Ah. There was Agumon. His little yellow claw was pressing insistently against Taichi's hand. "Taichi. Come on. Let's go."

They had to go. Taichi knew that, he did. He was just so _tired_.

He was just going to sit down for a moment. He just needed a moment. That was all.

He sat, ignoring Agumon's protests. Once he was on the ground, he didn't want to get back up.

"It always was so hard to get you up." It was Hikari. She loomed above him. Her narrowed eyes dripped disdain. "So selfish. You never did think of others. Did you, big brother?"

"I never did think of others," Taichi mumbled. "Selfish."

Meiko was there. Why hadn't Taichi noticed her before? She was right there, in the corner. She was crying, her long black hair pulled shut like curtains drawn over her face.

She wouldn't look at Taichi.

Then the mother from the park line was standing between them. She glared at Taichi as she raised her arms up around Meiko like a shield.

He smelled smoke. Fire. He heard the sick crack of glass breaking, the rumble of buildings falling.

He knew this was all his fault.

"My fault," he mumbled. "All my fault."

* * *

Yamato got down on the cold, hard-packed earth next to Taichi. "Taichi? Can you hear me?"

Taichi sat curled in on himself, face hidden behind his knees, saying something over and over in a voice so faint Yamato had to lean in close to hear. "My fault. My fault. My … fault."

The screen of Taichi's digivice lit up, flickered, then went out.

"What do we do?" Agumon was panicking.

Yamato pushed Taichi's bangs from his forehead. "What's your fault, Taichi? Please tell me."

Yamato's digivice lit up. This time the light didn't waver. "Yamato? Yamato, are you there?" The voice was far away, but it was unmistakably Koushiro.

Gabumon, ever-faithful and reliable, rushed to answer for him. "We're here, Koushiro. What is it?"

"I'm afraid the four of you have found some kind of portal to the Digiworld," Koushiro said. "Be careful. I'm going to try to figure out what's going on."

Yamato looked into Taichi's sorrow-stricken face. He stared deep into Taichi's blank, unseeing eyes. The narrow walls of the cave pressed in on them.

Yamato didn't need Koushiro to tell him. He knew exactly where they were.


	5. Virus

**A/N** : Whew, what a weekend. Thought I would have time to write. How very wrong I was.

 **Prompts:** Virus/Memory Loss

* * *

The carriage car slowed. The second the security bar rose, Koushiro was up and out like a shot. Tentomon took to the air to follow, abandoning his disguise.

Outside the gothic castle, the others were laughing as they recounted the ride. Koushiro ignored them, sitting cross-legged on the ground and opening his laptop.

There _was_ a gate to the Digiworld in the castle. The signs were all there – his mutated code, the electrical and chemical signatures in the air. But _how_? And why did that mutated code look so _familiar_?

He got in a good few minutes of work before Mimi noticed and tried to push his laptop shut. "Koushiro! Now is not the time! We're here to have _fun!_ "

"Hey, where are Yamato and Taichi?" Takeru wondered, looking around. "Shouldn't they be out by now?"

Koushiro took a deep swig of his oolong tea in preparation for his reply. This was going to be a long explanation.

* * *

Yamato and Agumon had made some progress with Taichi. Well, he was saying more than two words anyway. Yamato was unsure whether that had any connection to their ministrations, but still.

"Hikari," Taichi whispered. "Sick. My fault."

Yamato couldn't stand this. "Taichi. You can't just take responsibility for everything that goes wrong in the world!"

Taichi didn't respond. His eyes stared straight ahead at nothing.

"Hikari might have gotten sick anyway. Meicoomon's virus would have destroyed her no matter what you did. You made things _better_ , not worse!"

Still nothing. Yamato sighed.

He had to think. What would have helped _him_ , back when he'd fallen into this very same cave all those years ago?

….

Hmm. He was going about this all wrong, wasn't he?

He nestled into the dirt and scooted closer to Taichi. He put a hand on Taichi's knee. "Hey. Taichi. Hey, I'm here."

That got through. Taichi stirred, but his eyes still weren't focused right. "Yamato? But you left."

Yamato shook his head fiercely and squeezed Taichi's knee tighter, as if to prove his presence. "No. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Taichi frowned but leaned into Yamato's touch. "You left. You always leave."

Yamato had to work not to be offended. This wasn't about him, after all. Instead he took a deep breath, released his lingering inhibitions, and drew Taichi into his arms. He felt Taichi tense, then relax into the embrace. "Not this time. I promise."

Taichi was shivering. Yamato could feel the movement running along the muscles of Taichi's back, down his arms. So he drew him even closer. He cradled Taichi's head against his shoulder, wrapped his arm around Taichi's waist.

"Taichi." Wrapped up together like this, he had to speak directly into Taichi's cloud of brown hair. "You … you're precious to me. Anytime you need me, I will be right here."

Taichi sighed, and it was a sigh of deep relief. He hugged Yamato back.

They stayed like that, Taichi clutching Yamato and Yamato running one hand through Taichi's hair, for a long time. Yamato didn't know how long.

He didn't mind. He'd stay for as long as it took.

"The things I've done," Taichi said, so suddenly that Yamato almost jumped. "The decisions I've had to make. Yamato. It's … it's too much."

His voice rasped and broke a little on the edges of the words. But he was talking now. Yamato had to count that as a win.

"I know," Yamato replied, twisting the little curl of hair right behind Taichi's ear between his fingers. "It is too much. All of it. And we were too young."

" _Are_ too young," Taichi countered, and his voice was almost back to normal.

"Well, yeah. But." He hesitated. He had no idea whether what he was about to say would help Taichi or not. But, well, it was the truth, wasn't it? "But if none of this had happened. You and I - we might have been just two guys that met at camp once. Everything that's happened, it's brought us together."

"I guess." Taichi sounded unsure, skeptical even.

Yamato tried again, the words pouring out in a rush to try to get Taichi to understand.

"Me and Agumon - we're your partners. That means everything that happens to you – every decision you make, everything you have to do – you share all that with us. Okay? You're not alone in any of this. Not ever."

Agumon's great yellow head rose at the mention of his name. He stepped closer to Taichi, laid an enormous claw on his shoulder. "He's right, Taichi. You have us. Always."

Taichi lifted his head, beamed at Agumon. His eyes met Yamato's. The haze behind them had cleared. They were back to their usual color, honey brown and luminous.

Now that the worst was over, Yamato began to notice just how close he and Taichi actually were. Up close, Taichi's eyes weren't just brown but speckled with flecks of gold, streaks of brilliant green.

Yamato coughed and looked away.

The cave was gone. They were in a lush vertiginous jungle, all bright flowers and broad-leafed trees. A Kuwagemon soared peacefully overhead, casting a momentary shadow over their group.

"File Island again?" Gabumon said, catching Yamato's eye.

Yamato disentangled himself from Taichi and pushed himself up. He surveyed the area, doing his best to ignore the burning blush he could feel creeping up his face. "Looks like it."

"Taichi? Yamato?" Koushiro's voice crackled through their digivices once more. "I've got your signal."

Taichi sat up, took out his digivice. "Koushiro. What's up?"

His voice was steady, even. Like it was whenever the two of them talked digi-business. Yamato tried to quell the surge of jealousy that coursed through him. Hadn't he just proved that he could calm Taichi, too?

"It's a virus," Koushiro said bluntly. "Not Meicoomon, but definitely a virus. It's mutated my code."

Taichi cursed and shot Yamato a look. "A new one?"

Yamato matched Taichi's beleaguered expression with one of his own.

 _Really? Again?_

"No," came Koushiro's reply. "I've seen this before. I can't quite remember where, but I _know_ I've seen this code before."

"Can you tell where it's coming from now, at least?" Taichi asked. "If it's anywhere nearby, we can go check it out."

"Working on it," Koushiro said, then abruptly signed off. Both digivice screens went black.

Yamato wasn't sure what to do with himself while they waited. He opted for scoping out the area. He circled the small clearing, peering into the surrounding vegetation. He saw nothing unusual. Just the Digiworld, as surreal and vibrant as the first time he'd seen it all those years ago.

As he searched he grew increasingly aware of Taichi's gaze, trained on his every movement like a caress. He turned around. Taichi gave him an enigmatic half-smile. Yamato couldn't quite tease apart the mix of emotions behind that look. Fondness? Exasperation? Amusement?

Or something else entirely?

He didn't have time to sort it out further. The soft crunch of footsteps sounded behind them. All four of them swiveled to look.

Gennai was ambling down the path toward them.

This was the Gennai from their childhood, bent and withered with age. His face was a study of elaborate folds, his thinning hair frizzing out at odd angles from its scrawny little plait. The folds of his face crunched upward into an innocent-looking smile as he approached. His eyes stayed squeezed shut.

"You!" Taichi exclaimed. He took a step forward, his hands clenching into fists. "What do _you_ want?"

Gennai stopped, looked them up and down. Frowned. "That's no way to greet a stranger, young man."

"A _stranger_?" Yamato couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You must be joking."

Gennai's disapproving stare swung his way. "You're no better, are you? Such disrespect the youths have these days."

"What do you _want_ , Gennai?" Agumon stepped forward, his square jaw set fiercely. Gabumon followed suit, raising his paws into a defensive posture.

"Ah, you know of me." Gennai beamed approvingly at the Digimon. "Good."

"Know _of_ you?" Taichi said, befuddled. "Gennai. We've met."

"We've met and met," Agumon added helpfully. "And met."

"I'm afraid you must be mistaken." Gennai sounded almost sorrowful. "I am a near-perfect data being with a near-perfect memory. And I haven't met anyone before you, you know."

Taichi's eyebrows went sky high. He looked at Yamato in bemusement. Yamato shook his head back.

What in the world was going on?

"Taichi! Yamato!" Koushiro's voice crackled from their digivices once more. "The virus! I've located it!"

Taichi raised the digivice to his mouth like a walkie-talkie, not taking his eyes from Gennai for a second. "Let me guess. It's right in front of us."

"Well … yes," Koushiro said, puzzled. "How did you know?"

Gennai's frown deepened. "I don't think I like being called a virus."

"Can you see it?" Koushiro asked. "Can you eradicate it?"

"No," Gennai continued, oblivious. "No. I don't think I like that at all."

Taichi and Yamato nodded at each other, then stepped forward in unison. They brandished their digivices before them like shields.

They were too late. There was a blinding flash of light, and then Yamato found himself somewhere else entirely.


	6. Centarumon

**A/N** : Still one day behind. Gah. Oh well.

 **Prompt:** Switched Partners.

* * *

"Taichi?" Gabumon's gentle voice was laced with as much concern as it might have been had he been addressing Yamato himself.

Taichi opened his eyes. He was underneath a canopy of bare trees. Feathery white snowflakes drifted down from a leaden gray sky. The flakes landed on his face and clung there, gossamer and dewy. "Gabumon. Where are we? Where's Yamato?"

He didn't get up right away. The icy snow against his back felt cool, refreshing almost.

"Freezeland," Gabumon replied, as if it weren't obvious. "And I can't find Yamato or Agumon anywhere."

Taichi sat up at that. His head knocked against a tree branch and a dusting of snow collapsed onto him. He couldn't help the shiver that sidled down his spine.

Gabumon noticed. "Let's get moving, okay? You'll stay warmer that way."

Taichi nodded. As they started to walk, he pulled out his digivice. Koushiro'd equipped the new models with more modern features, so it wasn't hard to double-check their direction while calling up Yamato.

"Taichi." Yamato's voice oozed relief. "Is Gabumon with you?"

Taichi nodded, then realized Yamato couldn't see him. "Yeah. Agumon?"

"Right here!" Agumon chimed.

The snow pile was thick here. Taichi had to trudge slowly through it, each step sinking at least a foot into the bank. His pants were soon soaked through.

Gabumon, on the other hand, was so light he seemed to float along on top of the layers of snow, his blue and white coat spread out behind him.

"Where'd you guys end up?" Taichi asked, extracting his foot from a particularly deep hole.

"Dragon Eye Lake," Yamato replied.

Taichi checked the miniscule blinking map on his digivice, cursed internally. That was clear on the opposite side of the island. "Okay. Make your way to Infinity Mountain. We'll meet you there."

"Will do. But Taichi?"

"Yeah?" Taichi's stomach dropped at the word _but_. He wasn't sure what to expect. Was Yamato going to question his judgment again, like he always did? Demand a different course of action? Tell Taichi he was being an idiot?

"Be careful, okay?"

Taichi just stared at his digivice.

 _Well. That's different._

"Don't worry, Yamato. I'll take care of him!" Gabumon chirped from Taichi's side.

Taichi could almost hear the smile on Yamato's face. "Thanks, Gabumon."

With that the digivice went silent. Taichi and Gabumon kept trudging through the snow.

Freezeland was eerily silent. The snow had a muffling effect. Taichi could see for miles and yet his hearing range seemed to stop three inches from his ears.

Gabumon kept looking at him sideways and opening his mouth as if to speak, then looking away. Taichi wished he would just come out with it. He wasn't sure how to talk to the shy Digimon. With Agumon it was different. Agumon always said exactly what he was thinking.

"What's up, Gabumon?" Taichi said when he could stand it no more.

Gabumon blushed. "Well. Nothing, really. It's just – "

He stopped. Taichi waited.

The silence stretched on for another long moment. Then Gabumon blurted it out all at once. "It's just that I'm Yamato's partner, and it's my job to protect him, and I need you to promise me something."

"What is it?" Taichi looked the little Digimon over. He was still blushing, but he looked oddly fierce, too. Like he might be preparing to fight Taichi if he said the wrong thing.

Whatever it was, Gabumon didn't get a chance to say. The snow bank in front of them erupted in a shower of ice and a spray of pine needles. In a matter of seconds their way was barred by an angry Digimon, snarling and flexing its enormous muscles. It looked like an Ogremon but for the blue skin and the sapphire crystal structures protruding from its shoulders.

"Hyougamon," the digivice intoned from Taichi's pocket. "Ice-snow type Digimon. May be territorial."

The Hyougamon roared, head raised to the sky, and beat its chest with two oversized fists.

Taichi took a step back. "Oh, it's territorial all right."

What were they going to do? Without Yamato, Gabumon couldn't digivolve. Without Agumon, Taichi was helpless.

With a howl of fury, Hyougamon fired an enormous ice ball in their direction. Taichi tried to dodge, but he wasn't fast enough. Gabumon jumped in front of him. Spread his claws. Fired a blue blaster at the Hyougamon. The thin flame melted the ice attack, but barely. The aftershock hit Gabumon square in the chest. The little Digimon covered his face with his paws and closed his eyes but didn't move.

"Gabumon!" Taichi called, feeling utterly useless. "Don't!"

Gabumon ignored him, stepped forward. The Hyougamon raised its fists for another attack.

* * *

Yamato stoked the fire, poking at the ashes with a stick. Next to him Agumon was chomping away at his cooked fish, apparently without a care in the world. Yamato sighed. They didn't have time for this. They needed to keep going, find Taichi and Gabumon.

He just wanted to figure out this stupid virus and get home.

He couldn't believe he'd gotten separated from Taichi again. _Again_. That too-familiar feeling of sick dread made its nest in his stomach once more.

Agumon nibbled the last bit of meat off the bone. "Hey. Yamato."

Yamato didn't know how Agumon could just sit there looking so unconcerned. Taichi could be in danger. He could be freezing to death, or getting attacked by some random Digimon, or … or a million other things, really.

Yamato had to force his imagination to stop running wild. He was going to lose his mind if this kept on. "What?"

Agumon looked at Taichi out of one beady, reptilian eye. His head was cocked to one side and Yamato could swear there was a hint of a smirk playing about those enormous jaws. "You like Taichi. Don't you?"

Somehow Yamato managed to bite back a yelp of surprise and a too-hasty denial. "Of course I like Taichi. He's my friend."

That was definitely a smirk. There was no other word for it. "But it's more than that. Isn't it?"

Yamato looked Agumon dead in the eye, trying to gauge the Digimon's level of understanding. Agumon's gaze was a bit too keen, a bit too knowing. Yamato almost wished Agumon's memory was still impaired. Then maybe they wouldn't be having this conversation.

"You should tell him," Agumon said without waiting for Yamato's reply. "I don't think he knows."

 _I can't_ , Yamato didn't say. _I don't want to. I don't know how._

 _I don't want to lose him._

 _Not again._

After that Yamato couldn't bear to look at Agumon anymore. He studied at the ground instead. He couldn't speak.

He was such a coward.

Then a horrible feeling wrenched through his gut and took him out of his thoughts, as if he'd been hit by a bullet. Like he was being torn in two.

He and Agumon stood up at the same time.

"Taichi," Agumon cried out, turning his head to the north.

"He's in trouble," Yamato said quietly, and Agumon nodded. Neither of them questioned how they knew.

* * *

"Taichi?" Yamato's voice emanated from Taichi's digivice once again. "Taichi, are you there?"

Taichi didn't bother to answer. He was too busy diving to the ground. He narrowly missed the ice attack headed his way.

"Taichi!" Agumon's call was plaintive, wailing. But there was nothing he could do. Not from so far away.

Gabumon threw himself at the Hyougamon's back, hurling another fireball its way. The attack bounced off the Hyougamon and hit the snow bank beyond. "Taichi! Stay back!"

Taichi didn't stay back. He couldn't. He wouldn't let Gabumon fight off this Digimon alone.

He started forward.

His digivice began to glow.

Taichi froze and looked down. From his pocket the faint outline of his crest pulsed once, then morphed into the symbol of the crest of friendship. At that moment, Taichi felt Yamato's presence. He felt it as strongly and clearly as if Yamato were physically there, standing right by Taichi's side.

Then Gabumon was enveloped in a cloud of spiraling blue and orange light. Hyougamon shot another ice ball straight into the cloud, but to no effect. When the cloud dissipated, Gabumon was gone. In his place stood a Centarumon, tall and equine and regal.

"What the …." Taichi breathed.

"What's happening?" Yamato said. "Taichi? Are you okay?"

Taichi had never felt so discombobulated. On the one hand he could feel Yamato right next to him. On the other, Yamato's voice over the radio sounded as if he had no clue what was happening.

Centarumon lifted his right hand and fired a solar ray attack at Hyougamon. The yellow beam of light was so blinding against the snow that Taichi had to shield his eyes.

When he looked back Hyougamon was gone, a slumped-over Chicomon in its place. Centarumon was strolling toward him.

"I'm okay," Taichi said into the digivice. "And Yamato?"

"Yeah?" came Yamato's reply, sounding apprehensive.

Taichi was still unsure what had happened back there, but he knew one thing.

He owed Yamato his life.

So he poured every ounce of sincerity he had into his next word. "Thanks."

"Huh? For what?" Yamato's confusion was genuine.

Taichi shook his head. He couldn't explain this. Certainly not over the digivice, and he had a feeling that in person would prove little better. "Tell you later. See you at Infinity Mountain?"

"Infinity Mountain," Yamato agreed.

Centarumon knelt at Taichi's feet. "Taichi. Climb on. I will carry you."

Numbly Taichi obeyed. Once he was in place Centarumon straightened and began to trot, moving through the thick sheets of snow with measured ease. Taichi held on tight to Centarumon's muscled neck as the equine Digimon quickened into a gallop. The ivory-white landscape whizzed past.

He had a feeling that they would reach Infinity Mountain long before Yamato and Agumon.

* * *

 **A/N:** Digi-fact: both Agumons and Gabumons are capable of evolving into Centarumons, according to DigimonWiki.


	7. Silent

**A/N:** Still one prompt behind. I'll catch up someday.

 **Warnings:** There is a swear y'all.

 **Prompt:** Rejection

* * *

Yamato and Agumon made good time. They traveled swiftly, eager to reunite with their partners. Agumon didn't even ask to stop for food once.

When they emerged from the last stand of trees into the clearing separating the forest from the entrance to File City, Taichi was there already. He was riding toward them astride a galloping Centarumon. Gabumon was nowhere in sight.

"Yamato," the Centarumon said as they drew near. Its voice was deep and melodious and yet achingly familiar. "You're safe."

Yamato stared up at the Digimon. It couldn't be.

"Gabumon?"

Centarumon slowed, stopped. Nodded at Yamato. "Yes. It is I."

Taichi pushed himself from Centarumon's back and clambered down. He clapped Yamato on the shoulder and grinned. "I don't know how you did it, Yamato. But thanks."

"Did what?"

Taichi's explanation didn't make sense. Merging crests? A ghost version of himself? But Centarumon was standing right there, flesh and blood proof.

Besides, when had the laws of digivolving ever made much sense?

He was just glad Taichi was okay.

The four of them stood in the shade of Infinity Mountain and looked out across the terrain. The day was beginning to drag on, the yellow midday light tilting and bending toward afternoon. "Now what?" Yamato asked.

Taichi reached into his pocket. "Guess we'd better check in with Koushiro."

"Yamato?" Centarumon asked as Taichi fiddled with his digivice. "Should I devolve?"

Yamato shook his head. "Hold on. Let's see what Koushiro has to say."

Koushiro answered right away. His anxious face appeared, larger-than-life, in a giant rectangle that hovered in front of the landscape like a three-dimensional pop-up window.

"You found Yamato?" he asked in between gulps of oolong tea. The creases in his forehead relaxed slightly when he saw Yamato there. "Ah. Good."

"I want to see!" Takeru insisted. He crammed himself into the field of view, bumping shoulders with Koushiro. "Big brother! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yamato replied. "No need to worry."

"Of course I'm going to worry!" Takeru cried, leaning in closer. "You're my big brother! You're my sun, moon and stars! The most important person in my life!"

Yamato grimaced. Takeru could be so over the top. He didn't know where Takeru got that from. It wasn't from his mom or his dad. It certainly wasn't from him.

Still, it was nice to know Takeru cared.

Mimi and Sora appeared behind the others. Sora smiled and waved.

"You guys are missing out!" Mimi said as she shot them a peace sign. "The food at this café is _delish_!"

Koushiro ignored the others, looking put upon. "Taichi. Now that you've found Yamato, tell me. You were right there on top of the virus signal, and then you weren't. What happened?"

As Taichi explained about their encounter with Gennai, Koushiro's face lengthened.

"So Gennai is the virus," he said musingly once Taichi had finished. "Or wait. No. Gennai has a virus? Which is it?"

Taichi shrugged. "You tell me."

"I'm confused." Jyou's voice came from somewhere behind them. But when they turned to look, there was nothing there. "He looked like the old Gennai? But he didn't remember you?"

"That makes a third Gennai, then," said Daisuke's voice.

"No, a fourth," corrected Miyako.

"I thought there was only one Gennai," said Biyomon. "I thought the others got destroyed after they made the crests and digivices."

"Those weren't Gennais," Gomamon argued. "Those were other Agents. It's different."

"Still, there's only one Gennai," Ken's voice said quietly. "He just takes different forms."

"Are you sure about that?" Takeru asked with a frown.

"No," admitted Ken.

"I don't get it," Mimi complained.

"I don't think any of us do," Sora reassured her.

Koushiro was typing, his eyes intent on the laptop screen. "I'm still picking up the virus signal around the tropical jungle. But Gennai's signal – his signal as I know it, anyway – is coming from File City."

Taichi nodded. "Fine. Send me the coordinates. Yamato and I will investigate."

" _What?_ " a number of voices chorused.

"Taichi, no!" Sora rushed forward, looking worried. "It might be dangerous!"

"We'll be careful," Taichi said. "But we need to figure out what's going on. We can't have random portals to the Digiworld opening up in amusement parks."

With that he turned to go. The others didn't protest. They knew he was right.

"Leave your digivice on!" Koushiro cried. "I'll try to analyze the signal."

Yamato turned, following Taichi's lead.

"Yamato, wait!" Takeru said, and Yamato turned back to look at his brother's pixelated image. Takeru's enormous face swam in front of the computer screen, tense and white. "You already made me worry today! Don't do it again, okay? Be careful."

He was being more sincere than melodramatic this time. He must have actually been worried before.

"I will," Yamato promised, and smiled at his brother before he turned to go.

* * *

The four of them walked toward the gate to File City in silence. Yamato kept stealing glances at Taichi.

Something was wrong.

Taichi had seemed okay when they first met up. He'd seemed okay on the call with Koushiro and the others. He would have seemed okay now to someone who knew him less well than Yamato did. He had his eyes fixed on his digivice screen. Every once in a while he'd look up and around as if checking something. He'd correct their trajectory slightly, then look right back down at the digivice again.

There was no reason he needed to concentrate that hard on reading his digivice. He was hiding something.

"Taichi …." Yamato began after this had been going on for far too long for his liking.

"She didn't say a word," Taichi interrupted. The words spilled out of him, as if he'd been waiting and waiting for Yamato to ask. "Not a word. Did you notice?"

Yamato stopped in his tracks, surprised. "Who?"

"Hikari!" Taichi snapped without stopping. "Who else?"

 _Ohh_.

Yamato cast his mind back over the conversation. It was true, wasn't it? She hadn't even told Taichi to be careful.

Yamato couldn't believe he hadn't noticed. Hikari and Taichi had always been so close. It was odd, _wrong_ , for them not to be talking.

"She said she wouldn't forgive me for Meicoomon." Taichi was becoming agitated, his pace quickening as he talked. He was almost stomping down the path now. Yamato had to break into a light jog to keep up. "And she hasn't. She's made that perfectly clear."

Yamato didn't know what to say. He offered up the only solace he could think of. "I'm sure she'll get over it. She's your sister, she – "

"Things were weird enough before any of this," Taichi barreled on. "We'd … well, we'd drifted apart a bit, I guess. And now –"

His voice broke.

Yamato wanted to cry. He wanted to berate Takeru for his effusive show of sibling affection – he was sure that hadn't helped. He wanted to scream at Hikari to get over the whole thing.

Didn't she know that Taichi was already too hard on himself?

"Taichi," Agumon said, panting. His little legs were too short to keep up with Taichi's new pace without running. "Taichi. Wait up."

Taichi stopped and turned back. A wave of guilt coursed over his face.

Centarumon reached Taichi's side first.

Yamato was close behind. "She's wrong. That probably doesn't help much, but really. She's wrong. You made the right call."

"I think she knows that," Taichi said. His gaze met Yamato's, level and serious. "I think that's exactly why she can't forgive me."

Yamato stared back. He just didn't have any words that were good enough for this. He wished he had something else to offer.

"I'll forgive you." He laid a hand on Taichi's shoulder, squeezed gently. "I'll forgive you for her."

Taichi smiled his crooked smile. "I don't think it works quite like that. But thanks."

Agumon caught up with them and the group resumed their approach. Once they reached the city gates, Centarumon used his enormous arms to pull them open.

Gennai was on the other side, his arms tucked neatly behind his back. He squinted cheerfully at them. "Taichi, Yamato. I thought I sensed you boys near."

"You recognize us?" Taichi said.

"Recognize you? Of course I recognize you," Gennai replied. "You're the Chosen Children."

Taichi and Yamato exchanged relieved looks.

Then Gennai frowned. "Well, you _were_ the Chosen Children. Can't really call you children anymore, can I."

"I guess not," Taichi agreed.

"That's why I had to take your crest powers away," Gennai said with a long sigh. "Can't have adults running around the Digiworld with crest powers."

Yamato blinked. _What_?

"Really, I just can't have adults running round the Digiworld at all," Gennai continued, almost mournfully. "Sorry, boys. But you're going to have to go."

"Wai—" All four of them stepped forward. But a familiar flash of white light interrupted them, and when it faded Yamato found himself in a new place for the third time in a single day.

"For _fuck_ 's sake," Taichi's voice said from beside him. Yamato had never agreed with a sentiment more.


	8. Cloud

**A/N:** Finally, two prompts I can combine into one! Huzzah.

 **Warnings:** There are some swears.

 **Prompt:** Scary Stories/Rescue. I took the scary stories prompt a little loosely. Because, well. Aren't the scariest stories the ones our jerkbrains tell us when we're all alone?

* * *

This time they found themselves nowhere. They were surrounded by nothing. The whole world was flat and white. It was like being stuck on the inside of a cloud.

Taichi fiddled with his digivice, cursed. The damned thing wouldn't turn on.

It was just Taichi and Yamato this time. Apparently Gennai had no problem with Agumon and Centarumon's continued presence in the Digiworld.

Yamato put his hands in his pockets. Looked around. "What do we do now?"

Taichi had no idea. They had no idea where they were, no way to get into contact with the others. "I don't … I don't know. Pick a direction and walk?"

Yamato nodded. "'Kay."

It was no good. As soon as they started moving, the whole plane they were standing on pitched into motion the opposite way. Taichi didn't know how he could tell, what with everything so brightly monotonous around them, but they were moving in place, going nowhere. He sighed, stopped walking.

"Guess we'll just have to wait then."

The ground didn't stop moving until Yamato slowed, too. "What do you think this is? Another digital world? The inside of the Internet?"

"A prison," Taichi replied grimly.

Yamato raised one thin eyebrow. "What the hell. What the _hell_ is Gennai's problem?"

"Which Gennai?" Taichi countered.

" _This_ one!" Yamato cried, oblivious to Taichi's sarcasm. "Where does he get off, telling us we're too old for the Digiworld? He's the one that brought us there in the first place!"

"Maybe he just means we're too old for _him_." Taichi kind of had a gut feeling about this. It wasn't a pleasant one. He really hoped it wasn't true. "Maybe adults are harder to manipulate. Maybe adults ask too many questions."

Yamato's anger abruptly fell away. He stared at Taichi, dismayed. "Do you really think that's why?"

Taichi shrugged. "Maybe."

Yamato looked for a long moment at Taichi, then looked away. His voice was small. "So we just … wait to be rescued?"

"Yeah," Taichi said, nodding. "Koushiro will find us."

The words came out confident, strong. He was glad. He didn't want Yamato to get discouraged.

Koushiro _would_ find them. Taichi knew he would.

He just didn't know how long it would take.

"I guess," Yamato said. He hesitated. "I guess now would be a good time to talk?"

Taichi looked hard at Yamato, thought back over the events of the day. Then he laughed. "Yeah, I guess this is probably a better place than the inside of a haunted house."

"Less … distractions," Yamato agreed.

 _No_ distractions, Taichi thought. No one else there, no digivices, no cell phones. Nothing to look at besides each other.

It could get awkward.

Taichi swallowed, ignored his apprehension. "I was going to tell you about Omegamon. Why his evolution broke up."

"And I was trying to tell you that you don't _have_ to," Yamato said. "Really. I'm not Hikari. I don't need you to explain or justify."

"You did," Taichi pointed out, and Yamato flinched. "That's exactly what you were asking for."

Yamato looked down, bit his lip. "You're right. And I'm sorry. I should have known better. I was just … I was just scared."

Taichi thought back to the day Yamato'd confronted him in the hall, Yamato's blue eyes boring into his, his arm solid as a wall blocking Taichi's way. He hadn't _seemed_ afraid. "Scared? Of what?"

Yamato's penetrating stare was just as intense as it had been back then. "Well. That's the thing."

He paused, looked away. Taichi waited. He knew Yamato wasn't always the best at expressing himself. Yamato just needed time. The words would come.

"I thought I knew what I was most afraid of. I was afraid of everyone changing, drifting away. Afraid I would be the only one left."

Something hard and bilious rose in Taichi's throat. He had to clear it before he could speak. "Yeah. I'm scared of that too."

Yamato looked him in the eye. This time he didn't look away again. "But then I found I had something much worse to fear."

Taichi swallowed. He didn't know why he was suddenly so nervous. He was used to Yamato's intensity, after all. This wasn't anything new. "What?"

"You have no idea how scared I was." Yamato was almost whispering. His deep voice shook a little. "When you … when you fell."

Taichi blinked.

Yamato cupped the back of his neck with one hand. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead. None of us did. And that possibility … that I might have to live the rest of my life in a world without you in it?"

Taichi really wished there was somewhere he could look besides at Yamato. But there was nothing. The two of them didn't even cast shadows where they stood.

"That," Yamato said, and he sounded sure now, "that is the most terrifying thing I have ever faced."

Taichi quirked an eyebrow. "Worse than Devimon?"

He didn't know why he was joking at a time like this. Trying to defuse the tension, maybe. Trying to get Yamato to loosen up, just like he always did.

But Yamato didn't seem to mind. His lips twitched. "Worse than Etemon, even."

Taichi grinned at him, relieved.

But Yamato wasn't done. "Taichi, I don't _care_ why Omegamon's fusion broke up. Not anymore. You're alive. You're here. That's all I need. Really."

"Okay," Taichi said helplessly. "Okay, Yamato. Thanks."

Yamato smiled at him. It was a real smile, one of the wide ones so rarely spotted on Yamato's face. It made him look younger, as if the carefree boy that Yamato had never gotten a chance to be had finally escaped from somewhere deep within. "For you, Taichi? Anything."

That's when Koushiro's disembodied head appeared, hovering over them in startlingly crisp HD. "Taichi! Yamato! Thank God!"

Taichi was grateful for the rescue. He really was. But that zoom really was disturbingly high. He could see Koushiro's pores. They were the size of craters.

Also, he wasn't sure his conversation with Yamato had been over yet.

"Koushiro," he said, and hoped he didn't sound too disappointed. "Where are we? How did you find us? And - most important – can you get us home?"

Koushiro, being Koushiro, answered his questions in order. "You're in the cloud. I traced your life and crest signs. And I can get you back right now. Just give me a second. We're still at Disneyland, so I'm going to find the most indiscrete place I can to bring you back through."


	9. Teacups

**A/N:** I'm combining the prompts for today & tomorrow and skipping Sunday's freebie prompt because I'm going camping with my crew in the wilderness tomorrow and will be far, far away from wifi, data services, or the tumblrs.

Taiyama week 2018 has been so fun y'all! I enjoyed writing this and loved reading/seeing everyone else's contributions.

 **Prompt:** Bonds/Future

* * *

" _I'm working on drawing a straight line  
And I'll draw until I get one right  
It's bold and dark, dear, can't you see  
I done drawn a line between you and me."  
-Frightened Rabbit_

* * *

Yamato stepped through the gate from the digital prison and found himself blinking into the waning afternoon sun. He and Taichi were standing back where their day's adventure had started, right outside the gothic castle that housed the Haunted Mansion ride. As they stood realigning themselves to their own world, two boys several years their junior pushed past them from behind.

"That was _wicked_ awesome!" one boy said to the other. "D'you wanna go again?"

The other boy shivered and looked around the park, wide-eyed. "That hitchhiking ghost. It's not really still with us, is it?"

Yamato didn't know what the boy was talking about, but he felt as if he and Taichi had acquired some hitchhiking ghosts of their own. Gennai, Meicoomon. All the events of the last day, week, year. Their entire childhoods even.

Then the others surrounded them. It was a melee, a chorus of greetings and cries of relief. Gabumon's arms were around Yamato's legs, Takeru's arms around his shoulders.

Yamato didn't let himself relax into the embrace. Instead he turned to look for Hikari.

She was standing back and apart, her cool eyes on her brother. She was relieved, Yamato could see, but she didn't move to greet him.

She seemed to sense Yamato looking, because she turned her head and met his gaze. Her expression didn't change.

Yamato frowned and took a step closer to Taichi.

"You guys must be exhausted," Sora was saying, looking between the two of them with maternal concern. "Let's get you home. Or are you hungry? I have snacks in my bag–"

But Taichi shook his head. "No. We're here, aren't we? It was a long day but the best thing to cheer us up is to spend time with our friends. I won't let a little Gennai problem ruin our time together. Let's enjoy ourselves, everyone."

Koushiro frowned. "But Taichi. Shouldn't we try to figure this out? About Gennai, I mean?"

Taichi shook his head. "Gennai isn't going anywhere. It can wait just a little longer."

Mimi's eyes lit up. "You mean we can stay for the nighttime parade?"

Taichi nodded firmly. "We wouldn't miss it. Right, Yamato?"

Yamato looked at Taichi, smiled fondly. _That self-sacrificing idiot_. "Right."

Jyou looked at his watch. "The parade doesn't start for another hour and a half. What should we do now?"

Yamato and Taichi stayed silent as the others debated. Yamato started when he felt something brush against his hand. It was Taichi. His fingers played gently over Yamato's, squeezed slightly, then dropped away. When Yamato looked up, Taichi was smiling at him. His whole face was radiant, mellow. Yamato felt a big, stupid grin spread across his face in return.

The others decided on the teacups. The group strolled languorously toward Fantasyland, chatting and laughing. Yamato spent the whole walk wondering if he dared to just grab Taichi's hand, right there and then, for the whole world to see.

He didn't dare. Not quite.

When they reached the ride, Taichi yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Think I'll sit this one out and just watch. Hey Sora, I will take you up on those snacks after all."

"Me too," Yamato said automatically. His stomach was empty. They hadn't eaten since morning.

Sora nodded and took her enormous bag from her shoulder. She dropped it unceremoniously, then flopped down next to it on the ground. "Yamato, a little help please?"

When Yamato sat next to her, she leaned in close and poked him right in the ribs. "Have you told him yet?"

Yamato yelped. "Ow! Sora!"

Then the reality of what she'd said kicked in and he felt his face redden. "Wait, what?"

"It's Taichi," she said matter-of-factly as she pulled out an endless stream of little boxes from the bag and spread them out on the ground. "He's not going to figure it out if you don't."

"Umm," said Yamato. He started taking the lids off the plastic containers, mostly just to give himself something to look at besides Sora's face. "Okay?"

The food looked great. He couldn't believe Sora had prepared this whole feast just for a day at the park.

When he looked up Sora's eyes had scrunched up in one of her trademark kind smiles. "And Yamato?"

"Yeah?" Yamato couldn't quell the feeling of dread that rose up in him. What else had Sora guessed?

She spoke low and fast, so no one else could hear. "You know, things might not always be the easiest. For you and Taichi, I mean. Some people might not understand or accept. I just want you to know that whatever the future brings, you guys can count on me for anything. I mean _anything_. Okay?"

Yamato had no idea how to respond to that. He just blinked.

Sora smiled again, flashed him a peace sign, and stood up. "Piyomon! Miyako! Want to share a teacup?"

Yamato stared after her. First Gabumon, now Sora.

Maybe he really should tell Taichi.

* * *

"Taichi, you're not going on the ride?"

Taichi smiled down at his Digimon partner. "Not this time. Sorry, buddy."

Agumon grabbed two onigiri from Sora's spread and stuffed them into his mouth defiantly. He swallowed them almost without chewing. "Fine. Gabumon, are you coming?"

"Coming!" Gabumon replied.

Taichi laughed and watched them go, then settled on the picnic blanket next to Yamato. He reached out and helped himself to an anpan roll.

The two of them sat in companionable silence for a while as they ate their fill. Yamato barely even flinched when Taichi over-seasoned his nikuman. Soon the sounds of the others shrieking and laughing filled the air as the painted teacups whirled.

"Yamato," Taichi said, setting down his now-empty plate. "I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done. You've saved me at least twice. And that's just today."

Yamato picked at his onigiri with a pair of chopsticks and smiled to himself. "It's no problem, Taichi. Really. Not if it's for you."

The light from the setting sun shifted, caught Yamato's golden hair. Taichi looked at him, sitting there with his head tilted to one side and that little smile on his familiar face, and just like that he _knew_.

He didn't stop to think about it a moment longer. He reached out, grasped Yamato's hand in his. Held it tight.

When Yamato turned to look at him with a question on his face, he squeezed Yamato's hand once. Smiled.

"Me, too," he said. He trusted Yamato to know what he meant.

Yamato smiled back.

 _fin_

* * *

 **A/N** : Yeah, I changed one word in the Frightened Rabbit lyrics from "girl" to "dear." Fight me.

I know this fic didn't have the most resolution – what's going on with the Gennais? What was Gabumon going to say to Taichi? Are Yamato and Taichi actually together now? WHO KNOWS

But I conceived of this as a brief post-tri mini-adventure/follow-up. Maybe I'll write a sequel someday. Maybe I won't.

Happy Taiyama week everyone! :3


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